NuVoodoo Live Talk Radio Focus Group Reveals Insights About Listener Preferences, Behavior

February 10, 2015 at 11:54 AM (PT)

The live on-stage focus group held by CAROLYN GILBERT and LEIGH JACOBS of NUVOODOO MEDIA SERVICES at TALK SHOW BOOT CAMP 6 in ATLANTA SATURDAY (2/7) revealed insights about the preferences and behavior of Talk radio listeners in the target 40-54 age group. The eight panelists, active Talk radio listeners from ATLANTA divided equally between self-identified liberals and conservatives, sat on a stage in front of talk radio programmers, hosts, and consultants, with no mirrors or cameras present.

The panelists, who crossed political lines in their listening preferences (liberals admitting to listening to COX MEDIA GROUP News-Talk WSB-A-WSBB and iHEARTMEDIA News-Talk WGST-A/ATLANTA and conservatives sampling ATLANTA PUBLIC RADIO NPR-affiliated News-Talk WABE), visited several themes in the session, including dissatisfaction with existing conservative-oriented Talk and the feeling that if you hear any of the shows on a particular day, you have heard them all (one listener, noting the banners for syndicated shows on the walls of the hotel meeting room, said that Talk radio has “too many angry white guys”); too much political talk (WSB’s CLARK HOWARD being a unanimously-praised exception) but also complaining about some topics being beneath them (like “best soda flavor”); a preference for callers who disagree with the hosts, which they find more entertaining than callers who agree; and staying in the car after reaching their destination to continue to listen to a compelling show (with WBEZ/CHICAGO-produced “THIS AMERICAN LIFE” drawing multiple mentions in this regard).